Port Vale boss Michael Brown hasn’t ruled out bringing in a new goalkeeper as he decides how best to manage without Rob Lainton.

Sam Hornby made his first start for the Valiants in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at home to Wycombe after Lainton was ruled out for several weeks with a thigh injury.

Brown signed 22 year old Hornby on a free transfer from Burton Albion in the summer, but has explained his plan was to gradually ease the youngster into the first team by playing him in Vale’s group matches against Oldham, Newcastle United and Crewe in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Instead, Hornby made his debut as a half-time replacement for the injured Lainton in the 4-1 Carabao Cup defeat at Leeds last week.

The manager has said he is trying to sign players in a number of areas. After Saturday’s Wycombe defeat, he said that could include a goalkeeper to challenge Hornby.

Vale keeper Rob Lainton

He said: “We are always looking. He is a young boy. The plan was to filter him in and maybe have a couple of games, probably the games against Newcastle and Oldham etcetera would have been nice to blood him in. But he has had to go straight in the deep end.

“Possibly he will be disappointed with the second goal, and these are the things that change games. We have to look at that but he is a young boy and he has a good future.”

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Lainton, Hornby and Ryan Boot are the three senior keepers currently at Vale Park. The Valiants also have first year professional Joe Slinn but he has been loaned to Stalybridge Celtic.

Slinn, who is on loan until January, made his Stalybridge debut on Saturday and kicked off with a clean sheet, helping them to a 1-0 win at home to Nantwich Town in the Evo-Stik Premier Division, three divisions below the Football League.

Meanwhile, Adam Yates played 90 minutes for Macclesfield in their goalless draw at home to Bromley in the National League, one division below the Football League. The 34 year old Vale right back is on loan at the Silkmen for a month.